SVALBARD

Arctic adventures

PS: Don't miss the polar night in Svalbard

What? Am I on a different planet?

No way! You’re in Norway.

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago, located midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole.

Longyearbyen, situated by Isfjorden on the west coast of Spitsbergen, is the largest settlement in Svalbard. The city is a truly international place and is home to many cultural events, including concerts, festivals and exhibitions. Longyearbyen is also an excellent base for trips by boat, kayak, and snowmobile, not to mention dog sledding.

It's recommended to always go with a guide when you are heading outside the city limits, as Svalbard is also home to the mighty polar bear.

Find inspiration below, or go directly to:

Crowded concert in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Northern Norway

Colorful houses in the city of Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Northern Norway

Many people eating at a restaurant in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Northern Norway

In one moment, you feel like you're all alone in the universe.

Silent and vast underneath the northern lights – so close to the North Pole …

… in the next moment you’re at a loud and packed concert among cheering fans!

Longyearbyen is a cosmopolitan city with modern hotels, a brewery and more than 15 different restaurants.

You’ll also find one of Scandinavia’s largest wine cellars!

Dine on locally sourced delicacies like Svalbard grouse, Svalbard reindeer, Atlantic cod and Arctic char, accompanied with herbs and mushrooms from the tundra.

Bon appétit!

Food and drink

Taste delicious local food and book a table at a fine restaurant.

Longyearbyen
Huset Restaurant
Longyearbyen
Kroa - Steakers Svalbard
Longyearbyen
Karlsberger Pub
Longyearbyen
Funktionærmessen Restaurant
Longyearbyen
Vinterhagen Restaurant
Isfjord Radio Restaurant
Longyearbyen
Polfareren Restaurant - Svalbard Hotell
Longyearbyen
Barentz Gastropub

People walking outside Longyearbyen need to go with a guide at Svalbard, Northern Norway

Outdoor adventures await!

There are many glaciers near Longyearbyen. Experience a one-day cruise and take in the majestic ice wall of the glacier from the sea. Remember to keep your distance – the ice is calving, so big chunks of ice occasionally fall into the water, creating giant waves!

You can also walk on the glacier with a guide, or explore magical ice caves that take you back to the ice age!

But remember: once you move outside the borders of the Longyearbyen city, it’s crucial to be accompanied by a professional guide in order to stay safe. This is because …

… Svalbard is the polar bear’s kingdom. We must respect their reign over this territory.

Arctic nature is unforgiving, yet fragile. That’s why more than half of Svalbard consists of protected areas.

Be responsible and do not leave anything behind in the wild.

Safaris and sightseeing

Join guided tours to learn about the culture, see the nature and the animals living there!

Longyearbyen
Wildlife and Glacier | Hybrid Catamaran Tour - Hurtigruten Svalbard
Join Hurtigruten Svalbard on a boat tour with a hybrid-electric catamaran. With this new vessel, an exciting and more environmentally friendly boat trip awaits you. The tour takes you through breathtaking landscapes, to Billefjorden and the glacier Nordenskiöldbreen.
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Longyearbyen
Photography & wildlife hiking tour around Longyearbyen - See & Explore
Our primary focus, on this tour, is nature photography and wildlife and to find the good views for eyes and / or camera. Our focus depends on the season and which species that are in the area at the moment.
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Longyearbyen
Coal Mine 3
Have you ever been in a coalmine before? Join us today and dig deep in the history of Longyearbyen, the miners, all the coal dust and their life in the mountains. The Mining history is important for the existence of Longyearbyen, where this town wouldn’t be here without the coalmining. The name on the city comes from the man that started the coalmining here in 1906. The man was an American with the name John Munro Longyear, and he kept on for 10 years. Then in 1916 we have the Norwegian coal company that by the Arctic Coal Company from Munro, and then became the Store Norske Spitsbergen Coal Company. Its SNSK that still own the mines today, and it ended up with 7 mines in Longyearbyen. Today all this seven mines are closed down, without one! Mine number 7 is still in production, where we use coal to get electricity. So we have the only power plant station in Norway that runs on coal. We do now have the opportunity to show you one of this closed mines in the town. Join us on a historical travel in Mine number 3. This mine had production from 1971 – 1996 and is one of the last low drifted mines, it means that the coal layer wasn’t ticker than 60 – 90 cm. We will show you around in the building outside the mountain, where we do find the workshops and all the equipment they used. It’s quite an authentic mine, where the left everything in their hands and walked out the day they closed. So in the second you enter the building the walls speak to you, and it feels like there are still life in the mine. We have built a small tunnel for you so here it’s possible to get the true feeling of a miner’s work, and crawl through it. At the end we walk 300 meter into the mountain. Here you can see the coal lines and even some more historical interesting stuff. You see in 1984 there was placed a container with seeds in one of the side tunnels in the mine. This is a project from The Nordic Gene bank that wanted to try out if the seeds will manage in just the mountain temperature over 100 years. Every 5th year the take out one box, and this will be done till 2084. We will actually enter all the way to the entrance. There is also a new project going on in the mountain about storing data over 500-year, called The Arctic World Archive. The guided tours take 3 hours and start at 9am and 1 pm. We pick you up and leave you at your hotel, but if you want to go to the airport after the tour we do that to. You will get a mining suite (Lompen), headlamp and helmet when we arrive the mine, so this make you quite authentic. The tours go on English and Norwegian. It’s a tour that suits everyone, without the people with high claustrophobia or struggle with walking. And at last remember to put on thick clothes where its colder inside the building than outside. This tour is historical and exiting and gives you a whole experience of a miner’s life. Book a trip with us today!
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Longyearbyen
Snowmobile Safari to Northern Ligths Camp - Svalbard Adventures
It's important to have a good time when hunting the northern lights! Join us for a snowmobile safari where we leave Longyearbyen's vicinity on the hunt for favourable northern lights conditions with an extra level of comfort.
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Longyearbyen
All in One: Scenic Drive & History Walk with Huskies – Svalbard Villmarkssenter
Join us for a relaxed winter walk together with our friendly huskies in and around Longyearbyen. Afterwards we will continue with a scenic drive by car.
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Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen in a nutshell - sightseeing with the local expert - Svalbard Buss og Taxi
2 hour round trip to see the area around Longyearbyen and the driver will tell the story of how this society was built up while watching parts of the wonderful nature of Svalbard.
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Longyearbyen
Whale Safari - Polar Charter
Join us on M/V "Polargirl" for an evening trip searching for the biggest animals on the planet, the blue whale.
Longyearbyen
Walrus safari - Two tons of happiness - Better Moments
Svalbard's wildlife is unique and fascinating. Join us on our day trip to experience it from up close! Every day we use our closed and comfortable RIB boats to go to a well-known walrus colony.
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Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen City Walk - Rana Itinerans
From fundation to nowadays : how to live in a remote and inhospitable place : a 2h30 entertaining stroll around Longyearbyen
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A happy sled dog team and their musher on the trail in Svalbard, Northern Norway

With a local guide, you can also play at the top of the world!

And the view gets even better at higher altitudes.

Explore the varied, pristine landscape of Svalbard on foot, skis, or snowmobile …

… or behind a pack of perky huskies!

Polar dogs thrive in this arctic environment, and they simply love running!

Chances are you’ll make a new four-legged best friend.

Dogsledding and activities

Stay active and explore Svalbard by dog sledding, skiing or hiking!

Longyearbyen
Arctic Dog Sledding - Svalbard Husky
The best way to experience the beauty and endlessness of the Arctic landscape is on a dogsled. During this time, the light has returned from the long polar night and everything is awake again. As always, our huskies are ready to run.
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Longyearbyen
Nordenskiöldtoppen Trekking - Poli Arctici
This challenging day hike is a local favourite. Climb to the top of the highest peak near Longyearbyen (1051m above sea level) for an unforgettable adventure and the best views around!
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Longyearbyen
Bespoke ski touring in Svalbard with certified Svalbard guides - Backyard Svalbard
Have you ever dreamt of doing ski touring in Svalbard? Our bespoken ski touring tours in scenic Svalbard nature are unique. Backyard Svalbard is a passionate crew of ski guides, and we will help you find the best fitted tour for your group.
Longyearbyen
Arctic sauna - SvalBad
Take a time-out and find inner peace at SvalBad, our floating, wood burning sauna. Here you can enjoy the view of Hiorthfjellet or, if you're lucky, see the northern lights during the polar nights. If it gets too warm in the sauna, you can take a refreshing bath outside in the arctic waters of Adventfjorden.
Longyearbyen
Dog sledding on wheels - Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen
Basecamp Explorer have a 90 huskies that are eager to take you out on a trip while in Svalbard. On this adventure you will learn how to handle your own team of six dogs. They all have their own names and a friendly personality.
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Longyearbyen
Platåfjellet: Hike with Panorama View over Longyearbyen - Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions
Join us for a trip to the summit of Platåfjellet and get the beautiful panorama view of Longyearbyen, 424 metres above sea level!
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Longyearbyen
The Ultimate Svalbard Experience - Dog Sledding with Ice Cave Visit - Arctic Husky Travellers
Together with our 45 eager huskies we will travel though the beautiful valleys in our local area and choose an ice cave to visit.
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Harbour porpoise swimming by the the electrical boat MS Bard at Svalbard

Person climbing in the narrow coal mines at Svalbard, Northern Norway

A woman looking out of the window of the sauna at Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel in Spitsbergen in Svalbard, Norway

The artistic entrance of the global seed vault on the Svalbard islands, Northern Norway

Northern lights seen over the snowy landscape of Svalbard

The stars shines bright during the winter in Svalbard, Northern Norway

People by the sea in the midnight sun at Svalbard, Northern Norway

Explore the Arctic Ocean by kayak or boat.

Many operators offer daytrips. One green option is to try Hurtigruten's silent, hybrid-driven catamaran.

In Svalbard, it’s common to remove your shoes before entering a restaurant or hotel, a custom which dates back to the mining era, when coal dust was an issue.

Get a firsthand experience of what it's like to be a coal miner in Gruve 3, or mine 3, where you can try crawling through narrow shafts (pictured), if you like.

One of Norway’s most exclusive hotels, Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel, is situated at the tip of the west coast of Svalbard. The hotel features a sauna with panoramic views, where you can enjoy the stunning landscape while staying nice and warm!

What’s that futuristic structure?

It’s the entrance to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

The vault contains one thousand square meters of seeds from every country in the world. The seeds are securely stored in the permafrost climate to secure the world’s food production in case of a crisis.

There is nothing quite like the light on Svalbard …

… during winter the stars seem very close.

The dark season lasts from October to February, and the northern lights make your experience extra intense.

There are lots of activities during the dark season, like hiking up Platåfjellet mountain, dog sledding, and catching a glimpse of the northern lights!

During summer, the midnight sun lights up the sky from April to August.

Where to stay

Book comfy hotels or cosy cabins. Find your home away from home.

Longyearbyen
Gjestehuset 102
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Longyearbyen
Mary-Ann's Polarrigg
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Longyearbyen
Haugen Pensjonat Svalbard
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Longyearbyen
Basecamp Hotel
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Longyearbyen
Svalbard Hotel | Polfareren
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Longyearbyen
Funken Lodge
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Longyearbyen
Svalbard Hotel | The Vault
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Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel
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Longyearbyen
Longyearbyen Camping
Longyearbyen
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen
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Walrus swimming in the waters of Svalbard, Northern Norway

Ready to bring the herd to Svalbard?

Longyearbyen has achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. Although this does not mean that the destination is completely sustainable, it has made a commitment to work systematically to reduce the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.

visitsvalbard.com

Getting here and around

Remember that Svalbard is not part of the Schengen area, so passports must be brought by all non-Norwegian visitors. Plan your trip to Svalbard with Entur, Norway's official travel planner.

By plane
There are daily flights to and from Svalbard throughout the year, and frequency increases in the summer.
Flight time is around 3 hours from Oslo and 1,5–2 hours from Tromsø.
An airport shuttle service is available for all scheduled flights and takes you to most hotels and guest houses for a fee.
Ad: Norwegian – cheap flights in Norway and direct flights from more than 70 European airports
By boat
There is no regular boat transportation between the Norwegian mainland and Svalbard.
Several companies offer Svalbard safaris and round trips, but these do not offer passage to and from the mainland. You have to make your way to Svalbard through other means.
Check out ferry and cruise companies in Svalbard.
Ad: Hurtigruten – the world’s most beautiful sea voyage
By snowmobile
There are only about 46 kilometres of road on the Svalbard Islands. Driving off-road is strictly prohibited.
There are no roads between the various settlements. Instead, locals use boats in summer and snowmobiles in winter. Snowmobiles can be rented in Longyearbyen.

Discover more

Northern Norway

A couple staying at WonderInn Riverside by Huser Farm in Fenstad

Unique places to stay

Kayaking

Skiing
Midnight sun
Dog sledding
Practical tips for winter in Northern Norway
The polar night in Svalbard
Once in a lifetime experiences

Take advantage of top offers

See our selection of trusted companies that work hard to make you happy all through your trip.

Brim ExplorerQuiet fjord tours on award-winning electric catamarans in Oslo, Tromsø, Lofoten, and Svalbard.
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50 Degrees North NordicChoose between unforgettable tailormade individual trips and small, exclusive group tours of Norway.
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De HistoriskeHave an unforgettable stay at one of Norway's unique, authentic historic hotels. Enjoy first-class dining experiences and a broad range of activities.
CampioNorway's biggest camping booking site. Find the best camping and motorhome pitches throughout Norway.
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